Word came to us last week that Herman Lewis, by some accounts the godfather of AMC racing, died February 13 after a bout with pancreatic cancer. He was 73.

Lewis, who told the Register-Herald of Beckley, West Virginia, that he cut his teeth as a racer hauling illegal moonshine in Tennessee, drag raced in Chevrolets until 1968, when he spied the then-brand-new AMC AMX and decided that the two-seat sports car would make an excellent drag race machine. Since then, according to Drag Illustrated, he’s won more than 200 events and set 19 national records in NHRA and IHRA Super Stock and Modified classes, all with the same AMX.

Perhaps more importantly, in 1972 Lewis began developing performance parts for AMC engines based on his racing experience. He’s best known today for his aluminum intake manifolds and aluminum cylinder heads for the AMC Gen II and Gen III V-8. He had also developed an aluminum engine block, though according to his son Bill, he sold those patterns to another company before he died.

Lewis was inducted into the East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.

According to Bill Lewis, the family plans to place Herman’s famed AMX in Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum in Sevierville, Tennessee. Herman’s equipment and remaining inventory will likely be auctioned off, though Herman’s shop manager, Red Brock, has expressed an interest in keeping the business going.

I don’t think so. Everything I’ve read about Herman notes that his car was a ’68; the Super Stock AMX program didn’t start until 1969. Nor is Herman’s car on the SS/AMX registry: http://www.ssamx.com/ss_amx_cars.htm

Hermans ORIGINAL SS/AMX was sold to a person in I think SWEDEN. JUST because the SS/AMX registry site does not note that means NOTHING. Mike, the person that hosts the SS/AMX web site………….BOUGHT his SS/AMX from me. The Dick Steel SS/AMX. I personally delivered it, I personally provided Mike with a LARGE Majority of what the SS/AMX registry web site got it’s start from. The registry site has grown over the years.BUT , I, ME provided a LOT that is there at the start.PLEASE, ask Mike WHO he bought HIS SS/AMX from. And if it was HAND DELIVERED by that same person. RANDY GUYNN. You might learn something if you are sharp enough to INVESTIGATE.

Going to the AMC forum or to Herman’s site would tell the exact history of his car. It definitely is not Hurst SS/AMX though it could be said that it was modded for a time to run in the SS class so in that case it would have been an SS class AMX.
Bottom line, and particularly for AMC race fans- as eddie points out above- the legends are dying, and with them so dies the knowledge, skill, and genius they amassed and possessed during their lives. Before the rest pass away and all the present “first generation” enthusiasts pass it should be at least a part-time endeavor for all of us to ensure there is a passing of the knowledge and appreciation baton on to the next generation to keep the history and enjoyment of AMC cars and any other a marque as well going on into the future.

I knew Herman well. I raced a 68 Camaro (Jude) at Grandview Dragway near Beckely, WV. He was always a formidable foe.
In IHRA he raced Formula Stock which is Super Stock in NHRA. Herman was a great person as well as a great racer. He will be sorely missed.

herman got my 390 supercharged motor done right, and it still is tight ,crisp, and a fantastic testiment to his and reds amc engine skills. he fixed all the junk work that was done to my engine by all the other engine builder wanna-beez. he was THE amc guru period.there will be no kinder man that told you straight up what you needed when you had a engine question, he was a person i should have come to many years ago first when i got the amx bug in me….. but i am very lucky to have had the man himself rebuild my 390 engine which today still kicks ass and is SOLID!!!!! GOD BLESS YA HERMAN!!! i will always keep you in my prayers………thank you!

I was lucky to speak with Herman on a few occasions as her helped my plan out my blown 401. He was a really nice guy and was very helpful. I am sad to see he is gone. I hope someone will continue on with his work.

I just found out about herman passing away, so sad to hear this he was such a nice man my fondest memory was in 1965 he and I was at grandview drag strip I was running a 1962 pontiac four speed herman had the 62 chevy (which I have a picture of) I had won in my stock class but wanted to run a gas class also,herman and I was the last run of the day,I had to make a bi run they told me to turn around down at the end of the the track ,come back up the track he was going to spot me (4) car lenghts we were running I believe for a 4 ft high trophy and $50.00.when I got back next to the starting line I pushed in the clutch put up into 3rd gear let the clutch out rear end blew out so we never got to run ,I’m pretty sure he would have beat me but he came over to where i was and said johnnie sorry about your rear-end i believe i got this trophy the easy way i have seen that pontiac run you don’t want to give it to many spots,but that was the kind of fellow he was, fun to be around. May GOD bless all the family he is out of pain and in a much better place.thanks herman for the memorys.

A man who would take the time to chat anytime I had a visit with him. Did machine work and engine building for myself and many of my friends. I remember the last run of the day at Beckley with Herman and Bill Cook with a screamin’ big block Camero. R. J. Coleman ran the track at the time and asked me to come up in the tower after the run. He said look at the times. Both cars had the exact same time, number for number. Herman got the hole shot and won the race. He loved to talk about the good ole days and laugh. He will live on in our memories. God Bless the family, Thanks Herman for the friendship and many days of fun.

Herman was a great guy.I met him in the early 70s when I worked at the amc dealer in beckley.He did a set of 360 heads for me just to play with and did not charge me a dime.I raced a sc360 hornet a grandveiw dragstrip werith his heads.I do remember the coal town missle a 70 amx.Herman will be missed.

I just read this article. What a shock and disappointment. My younger brother who died a few years ago always talked about buying a Herman Lewis 500 CID engine, when he had hit the big time in country music in Nashville. “The dream never dies – just the dreamer.” he used to say. I hope Mr. Lewis’s family can move through the sorrow and pain knowing their family has passed on dreams to other AMCers. All families make sacrifices to help their creative and gifted family members. The Lewis family is AMC royalty. My brother’s dream has still not come true until I can drive an AMC with 500 cubes under the hood. Does anyone know if Mr. Lewis built any 500 CID engines or is it even possible to get 500 CID out of the V8 block? In the spirit of Mr. Lewis, I’ll work on my brother’s dream.

Hey guy….You are WRONG!!!! The Aluminum blocks Herman built………He [ and his partner]SOLD the blueprints to INDY CYLINDER HEADS. The INDY block was born from Herman Lewis. I am the very 1st AMC Indy dealer, I helped get the heads to market, I personally put INDY in touch with Herman to make an Aluminum AMC block. But the very 1st 500 ich AMCs came from Fred Brewer, Enid Oklahoma. It is TOO BAD the majority of the people that OWN the AMC web sites DON’T KNOW anything about real, racing AMCs. But, they do not, they own a web site.Check it out, go ask Mike Weaver, the guy that runs the SS/AMX registry, WHO he got his SS/AMX from. Ask him if it was Hand Delivered . His, SS/AMX, the Dick Steel AMC car he has. And then ask where he got the BEGINNINGS of the pics, and info he started his site from.

my name is mike smith, i bought hermans shop. i worked for herman for about 10 years. although i still recommend barry allen as the top amc authority, i am in business and will gladly take any work. i built the original cnc programs for hermans aluminum heads and intakes. i still have access to these heads. pleas feel free to call TA Racing Engines @ (304)-419-6282

i put a chrevy hei distributor in a amc 360 stripped the cam gear 3 times after reading a post from herman lewis about drilling the hole in the plug behind the tioming gear haven’t had any problems thanks i was getting tired of replacing those parts

The Lewis family and I go way back as they were my neighbors and second family in Prosperity, WV in the 1960’s-70s. I grew up with his kids, Sandra, Billy, Susie, & Patty and can remember when he bought that car and many days when he had us cleaning parts or washing the car. Many good memories and Herman will be sadly missed. Hope your resting peacefuly in Hot Rod Heaven, Herman!

I went by the nickname “Kentuck” given to me by Herman back in ’71. I drove for and was Herman’s partner in the Beckley Performance Center back in ’72-’73. Myself, Herman , and Bobby lane used to go everywhere to race. Good times with good friends. I am the only one left, Bobby died of a gunshot wound and now Herman of cancer. They are remembered and missed….

Just discovered the sad news, prayers for his family and entire AMC racing community. I spoke with Herman roughly 12 or more years ago about my desire to put an aluminum indy block in my all time favorite poney car a 1970 Javelin (first car i owned) sadly that never happened and now he’s gone but my dream lives on and i wont give up, times are tough but i have faith and think it would be a great tribute to all the work he’s done for us AMC racing fans. Any one with more info on the “indy blocks” feel free to contact me @ (248) 307-6265. TA racing you’l be hearing from me God willing…peace

since knowing herman in 2004, he helped me with my 1990 iroc motor. to keep me undefeated when the mustang came out with a 365 supercharge. the motor lasted until 2011 and never saw the rear of a mustang. the last 3 years before he died he kept telling me he was gonna retire, I always told him he would die with the front wheels off the ground. if the season had started earlier that year it might have been true. racing was in his blood and he inspired many others.

Thank you for your story about Herman Lewis – inspiring. I still enjoy the photos and video of his AMX at a NAMDRA national event. His car sure sounds good and has a fast run every time. I regret not walking over to talk to him in the pits. Lesson learned. I’ll put a decal of his car photo on my AMX to remind me. The summer of 2014 will be the best ever for AMC fun.